Nebraska center Kayla Mershon, a former Minnetonka prep star, to transfer to Gophers

Another former Minnesota high school girls basketball star is headed back home.

Kayla Mershon, a 6-3 center who just completed her sophomore season at the University of Nebraska, announced on her Instagram page that she is transferring to play for Lindsay Whalen at the University of Minnesota.

“I want to thank Nebraska basketball for all that they’ve taught and done for me,” Mershon wrote in the Instagram post. “I have made memories and friendships there that will last a lifetime. That being said, after much deliberation I have decided to return home and continue my career as a Minnesota Gopher.”

A native of Chanhassen, Mershon was a four-time all-conference player at Minnetonka and won a Class 4A state title. She averaged 12.7 points and 9.1 rebounds in her senior season at Minnetonka.

At Nebraska she started 14 of 60 games over two seasons, averaging 2.4 points and 2.8 rebounds.

The biggest question in whether she will be eligible in the upcoming season. Normally a transfer would have to sit out a season. But the NCAA is considering a plan that would allow each athlete one transfer during their college career without having to sit a season. Even if that doesn’t happen Mershon could apply for a waiver.

Should she be eligible, Mershon would add even more depth in the frontcourt for a Gophers team much in need there with the graduation of both Taiye and Kehinde Bello. The Gophers have Klarke Sconiers, who is coming off a strong Big Ten Conference tournament as a freshman, Barbora Tomancova, and incoming freshman Erin Hedman from Wisconsin. Laura Bagwell-Kalinich, a 6-foot power forward and former Holy Angels star, has transferred to the University of Minnesota as a graduate student and will be eligible next season.

KENT YOUNGBLOOD

UMD star named NCHC Player of the Year

Scott Perunovich, a junior at Minnesota Duluth, was named the NCHC Player of the Year, and North Dakota’s Brad Berry was chosen the league’s coach of the year.

Perunovich is the first defenseman to win the NCHC scoring title; the three-time all-league first team choice had four goals and 28 assists in 24 league games and is considered the favorite for the Hobey Baker Award.

Wild signs goalie Jones

The Wild signed goalie Hunter Jones to a three-year, entry-level contract Thursday. Jones, 19, is coming off his third season with Peterborough in the Ontario Hockey League and went 31-14-3 with a 2.75 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and four shutouts in 49 games.

A 6-foot-4, 202-pound native of Brantford, Ontario, he was the Wild’s second round pick (59th overall) in 2019.